Golden Visitor CentreJune/July 2020

Sue Davies

Outline:

• Introduction to Invasives

• Why we should care

• What we can do

• 15 minute presentation

• Question time at end

Who we are

The Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species

Society is a network of partners who

facilitate the prevention, reduction and

management of invasive species within the

Columbia Shuswap region.

Purposes:

• To educate and engage people about

invasive species and their impacts.

• To operate invasive species

management programs.

What is an “invasive species”?• Not from here (BC)

• Animal, plant, insect, even microbe

• Has a negative impact (social,

environmental or economic)

L. Scott

ISCBC

ISCBC

ISCBCSean McCann

Are all non-native species invasive?H

um

mert

.com

Sonisoya.com

What makes a species

invasive?

They produce LOTS of offspring

Purple loosestrife can produce

over 300,000 seeds/year

Zebra mussels can produce up to

1 million eggs per year - each!

Liz West

Cerulean Center

Spread easily and effectively

Hooked seeds like

burdock attach to

animals, vehicles and

clothing – always

dispose of these in the

garbageZebra mussels attach

to boat propeller and

travel across country

Himalayan Balsam

seed pods explode

sending seeds up to

10m

Photo Researchers

nybg.tumblr.com

Smithsonian Institute

Can quickly establish and thrive in new areas

Knotweed (aka false bamboo) is

extremely fast growing and will

sprout from fragments of roots or

stems as small as a pea.

Stillmoon.org

invasivespecies.idaho.gov

Eurasian water-milfoil can spread when

tiny stem fragments break off drift away

(or are moved by boats) and grow into

new plants.

Usually lack natural predators

Spotted knapweed tastes

bitter to livestock and wildlife

The milky sap of Leafy spurge can

cause sores around the mouths of

animals that eat it.

L.L. Berry

B. Stewart

So they spread easily, grow fast,

invade new areas…

But why do we care?

They typically have significant

negative impacts

Impact property and lifestyle

European fire ants • Painful bite• high density of nests makes your

back yard a no-go zone• Reduce property values

Knotweed• Damages roads • Breaks concrete foundations• Damages septic systems• Can cause neighbour disputes

Sean McCann

O’Donovan Agri Group

Orange hawkweed as monoculture

Environmental impacts

Diverse wildflower meadow provides forage

Andy Fyon

Eurasian water-milfoil makes lakes

unsuitable for recreation

Puncturevine ruins recreational

trails

invasivespecies.idaho.gov

Impacts to recreation

Burdock ensnares bats and birds and

irritates the eyes of livestock

Whirling disease kills salmonid fishes

including salmon, trout and whitefish

Impact wildlife and domestic

animalsPeter Thompson

Zebra/Quagga

mussels attach to

surfaces under water

Can cause damage to

pipes and other

structures

It can take just six

months to clog a water

pipeUS National Park Service

Economic impact

Loss of traditional food

and medicinal plants

E. Armagast

Impact our food production

LJWorld.com

Reduction in crop yields

Some invasives can cause significant danger to human

and animal health – giant hogweed

Impact health

How

do invasive species invade

new places?

They hitch a ride with humans

Distribution of Common Tansy in BC

The human transportation

system

Pathways of Invasion

Can we change our behaviour to

reduce the spread of invasives?

Play, Clean, Go

Juliane Leekie / ISCBC

Play, Clean, Go

coolhikinggear.com

www.playcleango.com

Clean your boots and

bikes after leaving a

muddy trail

Check your vehicle and

equipment and remove

seeds /mud

Don’t carry seeds home!

Play, Clean, Go

Clean, Drain, Dry

Clean, Drain, DryBefore you move a water craft from one water body to another

● Clean all plants,

animals, and

mud from boat

and equipment

● Drain any water

onto land

● Dry all items

completely

Zebra/Quagga Mussels

Small, clinging, freshwater mussel

Adults about the size of a dime

Not to be confused with the native

Rocky Mountain Ridged Mussel

which is endangered

Watercraft Inspection● No invasive mussels known

in BC

● Prevention is key

● Mandatory watercraft

inspection stations

● All watercraft must stop

● Inspection and

Decontamination

• Spread the word not the weeds!

• Report strange plants or animals

to CSISS

• Use the report-invasives app– app store

– search “Report Invasives BC”

Thank you to our sponsors :

Thank you!

Thank you!

• More information:

– Website:

www.columbiashuswapinvasives.org

– Email:

info@columbiashuswapinvasives.org

– Toll free: 1-855- PUL-WEED

• Any questions?

Some high priority

invasive plants

Knotweed (Fallopia japonica)

• AKA false bamboo

• Known to break through concrete and asphalt

• Extremely fast growing

• Grows from any small fragment.

Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)

• annual with exploding

seed pods

• highly invasive, clogs

waterways

• produces sweet

nectar that can attract

pollinators away from

native or crop plants

Scotch Broom (Cytisus

scoparius)

• Perennial

• Native to Europe and

North Africa

• Introduced in the

1850’s as an

ornamental

Photo credit:

http://haliaeetus.blogspot.ca/2010_06_01_archive.html

Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)

• Can send its roots 8 metres

deep into the soil

• Produces a toxin that can

inhibit the germination of

nearby plants

• Contains a white milky latex

that can irritate the skin and

can cause serious injury to

stock and wildlife

Field scabious (Knautia

arvensis)

• Typical trident shaped

growth habit

• A single plant can

produce more than 2000

seeds

• Very difficult to get rid of

once established

Yellow Flag Iris (Iris psudocorus)

• Alters riparian habitat

• Affects wildlife movement to

the water (waterfowl and

turtles)

• Out-competes native plants

that provide food for animals

• Creates very dense root mats

that are very hard to remove

Purple Loosestrife(Lythrum salicaria)

• AKA the swamp monster

• Changes water flows in

marshes

• Increases mosquito habitat

• Up to 300,000 seeds per

year.

Marsh Plume Thistle(Cirsium palustre)

• Tall, water-loving thistle

• Wind, water and animal

seed dispersal.

• Proliferates in forestry cut

blocks

• Can out-compete forestry

tree seedlings

Blueweed (Echium

vulgare)

• Toxic to livestock

• Host for several plant diseases (tobacco and wheat)

• Silicone hairs similar to fiberglass

Bullfrogs

• Natural range is

eastern North

America

• Originally brought

west as a farmed

animal for their

meaty legs.

• Out-compete all local

frogs

Bull frog call

Wikipedia